Blackhawks cool off the Ducks with 4-2 triumph

Marian Hossa notches two goals, including empty-netter to ice things, to help knock off points leader

January 17, 2014|By Chris Kuc, Chicago Tribune reporter

The Blackhawks aren't quite ready to hand over the mantle of best team in the Western Conference to the Ducks.

Anaheim hit town as the hottest team in hockey and left it with just its second loss in the last 20 games as the Hawks reverted to championship form and handed the Ducks a 4-2 defeat Friday night at the United Center.

"This was great example of how we want to play," said Marian Hossa, who had two goals. "We did a lot of great things, especially in our zone. The first half of the game we didn't give them much (and) that's the way we have to play. Play good defense and we know we're going to score goals."

Kris Versteeg and Bryan Bickell also scored for the Hawks and except for a short span late in the third period they got quality goaltending from Corey Crawford to win for the third time in their last seven games.

"We reached maybe a higher pace," Crawford said. "All the little details were there. It was just a good game for us overall. More so that the pace was up there … the whole game."

Then victory pulled the Hawks to within four points of the Ducks at the top of the NHL and conference standings and, of more importance, cemented the fact the defending Stanley Cup champions are emerging from their recent malaise.

"We approached the game in the right way," coach Joel Quenneville said. "We had a couple of games that were ordinary but … the three games on the homestand I think we've elevated back to where we were most of the season. I'd say we're back on track."

The Ducks never gave up, getting goals from Ryan Getzlaf and Kyle Palmieri in the third period to make things uncomfortable but in the end, Jonas Hiller suffered the loss in net.

Fast starts haven't been the Hawks' forte lately, but they got off quickly. While killing a penalty, Niklas Hjalmarsson (two assists) made a quick pass out of the Hawks zone to spring Hossa and Jonathan Toews on a two-on-one. As the teammates closed on Hiller, Hossa ripped a shot past the goalie. It marked the first time since Jan. 3 — a span of five games — that the Hawks had struck first in a game.

A terrific individual effort from Versteeg made it 2-0 late in the first. When Ducks Matt Belesky and Sami Vatanen couldn't corral the puck in front of Hiller, Versteeg stepped in and batted it into the net. Versteeg later left the game after colliding with Bickell and is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

In the third, Bickell raced into the Ducks zone and put a shot on net that Hiller got most of, but couldn't stop from trickling into the net.

Getzlaf and Palmieri made it close late, but the Hawks regrouped and Hossa finished things off with an empty-netter.

"It was definitely not our best game," Hiller said. "If you play a team like the Blackhawks, you can't just try to work for half a period or one period and hope you win."